Candy got her name from the fact that her mom craved orange skittles during her entire pregnancy. Just the orange ones. So it could be a coincidence or it could be science that Candy is a redhead. She was also really sweet. Maybe not Skittle sweet, but sweet enough. And that's the thing about names. They are important. Vital. A name can determine who you become. For instance, you don't meet many CEOs named Halo. But step into a yoga studio on a Tuesday at 11 and you may find a guru or two named Halo. It has so much bearing on your path and you don't get to... well at least in the beginning...you don't get to choose. This thought is what got Candy considering the fact that she was in a simulation. This thought got her mind going to places it probably shouldn't have been traveling. This thought was the beginning of Star.
Candy found herself at the beginning (or was it the end) after about 3 joints with her friends on a Friday that started so much like the other Fridays had. A simple question got her mind to swirl in the neon-colored spaghetti of pot-induced manic anxiety. The question? Oh, you want the question. We will get to that. I promise. But for now, all you need to know is that Candy was completely, and I mean completely, paralyzed by the thought she could have been anything but...Candy.
About an hour into her blank stare, Seth asked Candy the second most important question of the night. Her answer was simple: White Castle. A few sliders, some chicken rings, and a large sprite. The usual. That would bring her out of the tailspin. Or at least Seth and Candy hoped it would. Still, she couldn't shake this idea that had wrapped itself around and into her synapses. "What if I wasn't Candy?" All she could do, between bites of steamed goodness, was ponder her entire reality. And just how little control she has had up to this point. I mean, was it destiny? Was it more sinister? Was the ability to pilot her life truly hers? Or were parts an illusion? And how much was in her control, how much was autopilot? Christ that was good weed.
Somewhere around the last chicken ring, Candy began to fade. It was late and she had been on an interstellar personal mind fuck. So she was sleepy. Fair. Seth was happy to get her back to her apartment safely. Candy had done so much for him over the years that he felt like he owed her that much. Honestly, he owed her more but that was all he could give at the moment. Seth wasn't romantically attracted to Candy. Not that Candy wasn't attractive. Or that Seth wasn't into women. But he never felt good enough. And, if I'm being honest, he wasn't. Even though they both knew the truth, he was good to Candy. A good friend. And as a good friend, Seth worried about Candy. A lot. Tonight was no exception. Many times he had watched Candy take sliders to the face. It often reminded him of watching Rocky take Creed's punches to the face in the first Rocky movie. Tonight, however, he could tell her heart wasn't in it. A serious cause for concern. He made a deal with himself as they walked back to his truck. He would check on her tomorrow.
Seth kept his promise and checked on her. She said it was the weed and that she was fine. So Seth didn't worry. Ok, he worried but not specifically about that thing. The thing he had no idea about. It's a complicated emotion that my worriers out there will get. Candy seemed fine so he decided to use his worry energy on the typical worries. A few weeks went by with no real dust-ups. No major red flags. Candy was Candy. Sweet, funny, quiet (at times)...Candy.
Seth and Candy probably should have never been friends. They grew up differently. Different family dynamics. Different parts of the city. Different schools. Different interests. Just different people. Seth was supposed to be in finance. But he hated math and what it did to him. Anyone who hates math knows the feeling. His parents loved Finance more than they loved Seth. That didn't bother Seth. Getting kicked out of his house bothered him. If that hadn't happened, however, he would have never met Candy. The choice between not eating or having a place to stay and working at Dairy Queen was an easy choice. Even for someone who didn't like adding things up.
Shortly after his family evicted him, Seth decided he would start over on the other side of town. That is how he met Candy. In fact, she was the one who hired him. It only took 5 rounds of interviews but he landed his dream job as a cashier. I'm fucking with you. Candy basically hired him on the spot. He had a pulse, check. Plus Candy really did enjoy the short interchange they had when he turned in his application. Do you want to hear it? I mean I don't have anything else to do so I don't mind sharing. Ok, cool.
Candy: "Welcome to Dairy Queen. She may be royalty but here you are King. Would you like to try our new triple cheesecake and bacon ice cream smoothie?"
Seth: "Sounds good but I'd rather you give me some money."
Candy: "oooookaaay...this is the strangest robbery but whatever..."
Seth: "Shit! I meant I am looking for a job. Thought I would try humor but I totally screwed that up."
Candy: "Not really. I mean you screwed up the joke, should probably work on your timing. But we wouldn't be hiring you as a comedian so you didn't totally screw up."
Seth: "THAT is a relief. So may I have an application?"
Candy: "What are you like, 50 or something? It's all digital these days, son! Scan the QR code and follow the prompts."
Seth: "I mean...I don't have a phone at the moment. I'm between phones. Really weighing my options. Seeing which one speaks to me."
Candy: "They all speak to you these days. It's sorta THE feature. I mean you can even speak to them."
Seth: "No shit?!"
Candy: "yeah and you can even send notes to your friends so you don't have to actually talk to them. It's a great time to be alive."
Seth: "That is very ableist isn't it? How do you know I'm not dead...dead inside?"
Candy: "Just fill out the form on that iPad over there, sonny. I've got ice cream cakes to lick."
After that witty and charming exchange, Seth went on to gain employment working side by side with Candy. Until she left to start her new career at Target. Seth stayed because the benefits of having unfettered Blizzard access outweighed the other options afforded him. For a time, Seth even lived with Candy. But that is for later. For now, you are on the hook. I hope. And we can continue this story later.
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